Thursday, January 18, 2018

Three New and Instructive Russian Political Anecdotes

Paul
Goble

Staunton, January 18 – The anecdotes
Russians tell one another are often more instructive about what is going on in
their minds and in their country than any news item or commentary. Three new
ones, offered by blogger Aleksandr Maysuryan, are especially useful in that
regard (publizist.ru/blogs/109404/22736/-?utm_source=politobzor.net):

·“The
Russian press is filled with rumors about the firing in the new year of 10,000
traffic police officers … Where will they go: to the Russian Orthodox church
since 3,000 new churches are being built … They can wear the same uniforms,
collect offerings and officiate at these common ceremonies while standing … And
they won’t be needed as policemen because the price of gas is rising to much
that no one will be driving.”

·“How
are ordinary Russian citizens affected by the new American sanctions if these
sanctions affect all of 50 people from among the most important officials and
businessmen? The answer is that then these 50 Russians will affect all the 140 million
Russians.”

·“Father
Frost comes to the Central Election Commission and asked to be registered as a presidential
candidate. Ella Pamfilova says ‘Are you in your right mind? You live in your
very own world and do not have any knowledge about how ordinary people live!
When youarrive everything is clean, the
tables are full of food, all is in order, and you think that everything always
lives that way! … And besides no one has seen your program.’But then she suddenly stops and, looking with
amazement at the face of Father Frost, says that ‘well, everything is in order,
let’s get you registered.’”